Hey all - if anyone is considering a banteng hunt on Cobourg Peninsular in the near future - I just want to give you a heads-up. There are some illegal hunts (both cheap and otherwise) being offered online and privately that are not legal in any way shape or form, no matter what the outfitters claim. At present there is only one company that has an active hunting permit for WITHIN the National Park (ie on the Cobourg Peninsula itself). This was reconfirmed by NT PWS just a couple of days ago... If the hunts being offered are not connected to the only legal concessionaire (Cobourg Developments P/L )in some way and the accommodation being at Seven Spirit Bay resort itself... then there is no chance that they are legal hunts.

Once again I am talking about hunts inside the Park, on Cobourg itself.... there are a couple of legal banteng hunting areas outside the National Park.

Dont be duped... National Parks are very aware of what is going on and are now (apparently) taking appropriate measures.

Thanks Matt - this is important detail. These hunts aren't cheap (even the apparently illegal ones) so you "heads up" could save others a lot of grief and $ loss. Can you expand on the detail re legal hunting areas outside the park so any hunters considering a Banteng will readily identify the legit offerings?

Absolutely - the one recognised, unfenced hunting area outside and adjacent the Park is run by Karl Goodhand and the other hunting area is Mary River Station - which is run as a game park.

I have seen quite a few pics of some monster bulls coming from 'somewhere' up there...$3000 is the going rate they tell me.

quote:

Originally posted by gryphon1:
I have seen quite a few pics of some monster bulls coming from 'somewhere' up there...$3000 is the going rate they tell me.

Yeah.... well. Hope they smiled for the game cameras!!

I hoper the guilty outfitters AND their 'should know better" clients get tapped by the long finger of the law. Very large smile!

It is interesting as it is I believe the traditional landowners cashing a few...who is to argue with that lot?

quote:

Originally posted by gryphon1:
It is interesting as it is I believe the traditional landowners cashing a few...who is to argue with that lot?

Indeed it would seem that way but the fact remains that it is a National Park and entry to that Park for safari and rec hunting is determined and authorised by a board of management, not by one single TO or otherwise. The crunch for hunters comes, not so much in the taking of an animal out there but of bringing unauthorised firearms into the Park - that is the primary thing they will get done for.

None of this is new of course - it has been going on for a great many years.

Parks have been saying for years that they simply cant police it - well now I guess they are finding electronic means to police it!!